South Asia Physical Features

Map of South Asia

Mountains Separate the Indian subcontinent from the rest of Asia Hindu Kush Northwest- it divides subcontinent from central Asia Rugged mountain range Khyber Pass- Khyber Pass begins about 10 miles outside the Pakistani city of Peshawar in the northwest frontier province and ends on the Afghan border at Torkham. Because it is the main connection between Afghanistan and the Indian subcontinent, the route through the Khyber Pass constitutes one of the major means of access to Central Asia.  Eastern & Western Ghats Low mountains that separate India’s east and west coast http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Khyber_Pass.aspx

Khyber Pass

Mountains Himalayas Himalayas, Sanskrit for ‘abode of snow’ Stretch 1,500 miles Along the northern border of Indian subcontinent Formed by collision of two massive tectonic plates The Himalayas cover approximately 75% of Nepal The Himalayas are the source for the Indus, the Yangtze and the Ganges and Brahmaputra. All three are major river systems for the continent of Asia Home to the world’s highest mountains Mount Everest-Highest mountain in the world Measures 29,035 feet K2 Northern Pakistan World’s second highest peak

Bodies of water-Rivers Originated in the Himalayas Massive amounts of water from the mountains melting snow and glaciers Floods surrounding land leaving rich soil deposits and fertile plains Ganges River Flows across northern India into Bangladesh Joins other rivers (Brahmaputra) and creates huge deltas Ganges Plain-India’s farming heartland Indus River Fertile plain-Indus River Valley One home to earliest Indian civilizations Today one of Pakistan’s most densely populated area Delta-landform at the mouth of a river created by sediment deposits

Bodies of water-Rivers Brahmaputra River Flows east and southwest into Bay of Bengal Forms the largest delta with the Ganges-has some of the world’s richest farmland

Bodies of water-Oceans Indian Ocean covering approximately one-fifth of the total ocean area of the world South of India Bay of Bengal large but relatively shallow embayment of the northeastern Indian Ocean, It is bordered by Sri Lanka and India to the west, Bangladesh to the north, and Myanmar (Burma) and the northern part of the Malay Peninsula to the east. Arabian Sea Northwestern part of the Indian Ocean covering a total area of about 1,491,000 square miles

Bodies of Water Gulf of Khambhat Gulf of Mannar indenting northward into the coast of Gujarat state, western India trumpet-shaped gulf of the Arabian Sea Gulf of Mannar inlet of the Indian Ocean, between southeastern India and western Sri Lanka. the gulf is noted for its pearl banks and sacred chank (a gastropod mollusk).

Landforms Thar Desert Deccan Plateau The Great Indian Desert 200 - 1500 feet in elevation. up to 127ºF in July Deccan Plateau Located in South India 31,800 square miles in size. 2,000 – 8,000 feet high

Climates Arid Semiarid Tropical Wet Tropical Wet and Dry receives less than 10 inches of rainfall in an entire year. Deserts are areas that are arid. Semiarid Characterized by relatively low annual rainfall of 10 to 20 inches having scrubby vegetation with short, coarse grasses; not completely arid. Tropical Wet high temperatures year round large amount of year round rain Tropical Wet and Dry Large amounts of rain during summer season There is a dry season in the winter Humid subcontinental hot, usually humid summers and mild to cool winters.

Climate Physical Features affect the climate Variety of climates In Himalayas Highland climate brings cool temperatures to much of Nepal and Bhutan Plains south of Himalayas Humid sub-tropical climate

Population Where is the majority of the population located? Why do you think this is the case?

Population Look at the difference in the population density between U.S. and Bangladesh

Natural Resources Variety of Natural Resources Agricultural and mineral resources are most plentiful Perhaps most important is the regions fertile soil Farms produce many different crops Tea, rice, nuts, jute(plant used for making rope) Timber and livestock Particularly in Nepal and Bhutan

Natural Resources South Asian’s depend or rivers Mineral resources Irrigation, transportation, drinking and household water Mineral resources Iron ore, coal-India Natural Gas Reserves-Pakistan Gemstone-Sri Lanka